Written by Frank D. Cole                                                                               29^th of December, 2015

Never a dull moment!

 In 1932, aged 11, I was elevated from the Litherland Council School to MTS and so came the first great change in my life.

Five years later in 1937, I emerged to seek work and so lighten the financial burden on my parents (Lorry-driver, factory-girl and part-time pianist).  I found a position as “office boy” in a specialist marine insurance company for a weekly pittance.

Boredom was my main problem and so days after my 18^th birthday I joined the TA and only weeks after this I was embodied as a regular soldier.

Under the age of 20 and not possible for overseas posting but because I had a full driving licence I spent the next two years driving every sort of wheeled transport around gun and light sites in Merseyside and the Midlands.

I was sent to the OTC in Bristol in 1941 and came out as a very new young officer in May 1942. My first posting was to the 46th Infantry Division in Kent (part of Montgomery’s 12 Corps) which was in preparation to form the British North Africa Force and for this we embarked in December, leaving for Algiers. After landing in Algeria we waited for the second convoy with arms and transport before starting off eastwards, direction Tunis.

This first problem resolved, we went further into Libya to start training for a water landing. For this we, the 46^th and 2 other British divisions (56 and 78), were to form the spearhead landing force of the 5^th US Army.

This almost disastrous campaign due to lack of security on the US-side resulted in the Hermann-Göring-Division waiting for us, almost with glee.  After 3 weeks on the beach, other landings (First Guards Anzio) let us break out and, as planned, proceed northwards until eventually we arrived at the foot of Monte Cassino.  At this point, tired and depleted we reverted to Brit. 8^th Army and were sent back to Egypt.

We were brought up to strength and the next stop was Palestine.  After arranging a temporary peace we were required in Italy and so “pack up again” and back to the mainland.  After many skirmishes and encounters our services were urgently needed in Greece so some of us were flown to Piraeus and the rest, more leisurely, to the northern border Macedonia.

Once more we were needed urgently back again in Italy to try to break through the German Gothic Line.  We did so, in the area of Forli / Faenza and then it was forwards to Austria where on VE-day we were already in the southern part of that country.  There we had the unpleasant task of returning 15,000 Cossack and 2,000 Hungarians to the Russians and only after this could we move further into our occupied area of Steiermark.  Here I was posted after a short time to Brit.Mil.Gov.

Life became once again peaceful and slowly less interesting and, trying to follow my desire for excitement, I volunteered for the Burma Frontier Force (BFF).  Called before the final selection board in Udine I and 2 others were returned, as talks on independence had already started and my eyes were not standard. This brought me back to Brit.Mil.Gov. again in Austria and, already 18 months over my release date and seeing no prospect of further interest I, reluctantly, decided I had to “bite the cherry” and return to civilian life.

Back in Liverpool, I renewed my marine insurance and was told that I would be going overseas for the Company very shortly.  In fact, this was exactly 11 months and in this period I imported and wed my Austrian fiancée from Graz, bought and repaired a bomb-damaged house reported back to the TA and lived for 5 weeks in my new house before embarking on 24^th of April, 1948 on the MS Caledonia bound for Karachi via Bombay.

The voyage was very pleasant in comparison with earlier Troopship journeys and after 6 weeks in Bombay I was again in a coastal steamer for Pakistan.  Through the wisdom of Whitehall, Pakistan was divided into 2 halves – West and East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) with hostile India between.  Communication between was difficult but, after a while I managed to establish a small office in Chittagong in addition to my HQ in Karachi.  In the small seaport, now Capital of the new country (14^th August, 1947) space was at a premium with every country and larger firm wishing to establish a post there.  Alone I managed to find a bed with Indian, Italian friends, also in hotels and finally in a large tent on the lawn of the Scind Club.  My office space was cramped and I shared a 16 sq.m. room with, in each corner, myself, Vickers Armaments UK, Gulf Oil, USA and the door.

After 12 months my wife joined me and, under threat, my Principals in Liverpool agreed to build a house for me, just before we left, after 3 years, to enjoy 6 months leave in Europe.  Business grew and the same pattern of 6 months leave after 3 years’ service until, after 10 years, I decided  to resign and take my small family back to England.

For my new employers, I was based in Manchester with a miserable inherited 3-men-office. This had to be changed and I enlarged my operations area to the whole of UK with connections in Vienna and Graz.  After 8 years of feverish activity, vacancies took place in the upper hierarchy but promises earlier made were ignored and so I resigned.

This time I changed the branch of insurance and was offered a post from a Lloyds Broker as Managing Director in their flourishing subsidiary in Zürich.  Here the world was my oyster and I took over and enlarged the international business with contracts in Sidney, Accra, Reykjavik, Hong Kong, Tennessee Valley Authority USA and other distant parts.  My frequent absences and, sometimes longer, led to my family break-up.  However, “business as usual” until my heart attack in 1978.  My London Principals, in the English manner felt that retirement and sanatorium was the only possible result.  And so, in 1981 (aged 60) I was asked to go.  This I did – but only for 4 days – for I then set up my own office, taking 90 % of the international business with me. Once more feverish activity in the world and this continued for another 25 years until my eyesight forced me to give up.

My second wife (Dresden) died 18 months ago and so I live alone in my house, 2000 feet high on the slope of the Albisberg very well looked after by my permanent staff of 2 ladies (German and Polish).  I still maintain vivid interest in world politics and finance and when I wish to travel, I am transported by one of my ladies in their car. I am just celebrating my 95^th birthday and still look forward into the future.

My first wife returned to her birth place in Graz, my son and his American wife, living in Australia, all speak to me on Sunday mornings via Skype.  My daughter after 17 years in S. Africa, has gratefully returned to CH, living only 23 km away from here.

In conclusion I can only say that the best decision of my well-filled life was to come to Switzerland.

JOHN KEMSLEY SMALLCOMBE (JKS)

Assistant Master MTBS 1963-1988

Having been appointed to teach geography and to take responsibility for careers, John and his wife, Barbara, moved from the south of England to 54 Coronation Drive, Crosby in the summer of 1963.  For the next five decades JKS was to become a familiar figure in the local area, often to be seen riding his ‘sit up and beg’ bicycle in the vicinity of the College Road shops.

Born in Sittingbourne, Kent, JKS was the middle child of three siblings.  His younger sister, Jean, moved to south eastern Australia many years ago and was, in the last two years, delighted to be able to chat with her brother via the use of skype.

JKS attended Chippenham Grammar School where he was Head Boy.  Always an enthusiastic sportsman he enjoyed many outdoor pursuits and, on leaving school, he joined the Forces towards the end of the Second World War and trained as a pilot.  He spent time in the Far East in a number of places, including Rangoon, and, for a period, worked as a code-decipherer.

Some of the happiest years of JKS’ life were spent at the University of Cambridge.  As an undergraduate of Peterhouse he enjoyed an active social life, taking part in plays, attending balls and competing on the sports field.  During holidays skiing trips were taken abroad with friends, and horse riding and mountain climbing were also enjoyed.

On leaving Cambridge JKS worked at Harrods and then for a furniture company, Horrockses, before deciding to go to Bristol to qualify for a teaching certificate.

Throughout his time at Merchant Taylors’ Boys’ School JKS enjoyed maintaining close links with his alma mater and, in his role as Careers Master, was instrumental in organising boys’ visits to his old college of Peterhouse and in his support of the Old Crosbeian Cambridge Dinners.  Many pupils were given valuable help and encouragement by JKS in the careers guidance he gave at school and his wisdom and sagacity were much appreciated and valued.

JKS’ contribution to the life of MTS was not limited to the areas of geography and careers.  An active and enthusiastic sportsman, he assisted with junior rugby teams and in the years following the opening of the swimming pool showed a strong commitment to swimming and to the John Harrison Club.  His first-hand experience of flying also proved invaluable in the work and leadership he gave to the Air Force Section of the school’s Combined Cadet Force.  For many years cadets benefited greatly from his considerable knowledge and expertise.

JKS’ home and social life were also of immense importance to him.  A close friend and colleague on the MTS staff was the Art Master, Trevor Hughes, with whom JKS enjoyed many bicycle outings, riding along the Leeds Liverpool canal towpaths, often involving refreshment breaks for cool beers carried in the basket of JKS’ bike. Holiday coach excursions the length and breadth of Britain were a feature of John and Barbara’s married life and cultural trips to Theatre Clwyd with another good friend and colleague, John Kent, and wife, Mary, were much enjoyed.

In retirement, with another close friend and former colleague, Charles Bailey, the two travelled by train to places where they could go walking for miles, enjoying the fresh air and attractive scenery of the English countryside. Dedicated to help improve the quality of life of those less fortunate and privileged than himself, JKS became involved with adult literacy and numeracy classes held at the Cambridge Road, Waterloo Centre.  As well as the important voluntary work he did as a Samaritan, at the age of seventy four JKS enrolled on a counselling course at John Moore’s University.  This co-incided with the then Prime Minister’s wife, Cherie Blair, becoming Chancellor of JMU.  As the most senior student on the campus JKS was asked to make a speech and, years later, revealed a hand written note from Mrs Blair saying how wonderful it was to have met him and how inspiring his speech had been.  She signed off with “Much Love, Cherie Blair”.  JKS completed the counselling course and went on to put it to good use in the help and support he was able to give to others.

All those who met him or knew him well, recognized JKS as being a quintessential gentleman.  Following Barbara’s death in November 2014, and for the rest of the two years of his life, JKS lived with increasing dementia and received twenty four hour care. Lorna Cooney, his chief carer, who became a close and trusted companion to JKS wrote, “The time I spent with John will remain a special time in my life and that’s because of the gentleman John was.  He was old school, a man who exuded charm and sophistication irrespective of whatever situation in which he would find himself.  John had this natural ability to hold a room, to command attention without uttering a word.  This was the man who still tipped his hat if he passed a lady. A man who at ninety years of age would stand aside to let a mum pushing a pram go ahead of him through a door, despite the fact that it was difficult for him to stand.  A man who never forgot to express his gratitude for any gesture of help or support offered him.  A man with a wicked sense of humour and a sparkle in his eye.  Lorna further observes, “John was also diagnosed with end stage kidney failure and the medical team that supported John throughout that time, were wonderful. John’s charm and charisma played a part in this.  He had a way about him that made people want to do the best they could by him, simply because of the person he was.”

Even past the age of eighty, JKS’ passion for swimming never waned.  In the company of former colleagues, Phil Judge and Dave Blower, he maintained his round the year routine of three early morning swims of forty lengths in the school pool.

Attended by family, friends and former colleagues, JKS’ funeral was at Thornton Crematorium on 24^th November, 2016.  On Saturday 10^th December, the anniversary of Barbara and John’s wedding in St Peter’s Church, Woolton, their ashes were scattered among the sand dunes of Crosby’s beach, a place they had so often enjoyed walking together, accompanied by their dog, Dougan.